Pythian rites
by pythian files
Summary: Today Sarah Marsden fell into the rabbit hole, after being attacked by a demon, she realizes the world is much bigger than she ever imagines and a lot more dangerous. She doesn't know who to ask for help, until she finds a wizards's card. Set before storm front.
1. Chapter 1

Pythian Rites

Chapter 1

My head was about to explode, at least that's how it felt. All I wanted was to go home and lie down, but then I would miss the deadline and that's just not acceptable, in the 3 years I've been working for this company i never missed one and I wouldn't start now.

"Sarah, would it kill you to go home early just one day? I'm sure you can finish whatever you're doing there." Alyssa said, from a desk away, looking worried.

"I just need to finish this report." I didn't take my focus away from the screen, but replied jokingly. " You know, I think you're just trying to get rid of me, to get out early"

Alyssa still looked worried, but smiled and pretended to be offended "yes, go ahead and mock my preoccupation, but don't count on me if you have an aneurysm." She turned back to her computer as if she had dropped the subject, but a second later turned again and said. "You should take an aspirin, at least. I'm sure you can spare 5 minutes for that"

I turned and smiled at her. "Ok, mom. I'll take the aspirin"

But when i got up to take it, the world went black and the pain on the back of my head took full strength. I don't know for how long, but after what it felt like hours, i slowly became aware again, aware of the steps coming towards me, aware of Alyssa crying my name, aware of the incessant screams, my screams, I noticed. Then, suddenly, the pain vanished.

"I'm ok now" I assured my coworkers. And I really did feel better.

unsurprisingly, none of them felt reassured, not that i could blame them. So in the end, i ended up going home early, Alyssa had to drive me, because no one trusted me behind a wheel.

"You didn't have to drive me, I could've taken a cab." I told Alyssa.

"it's no trouble, really" When she said that, I felt a tingly feeling at the back of my head. _Weird._

"Are you sure? I thought you were having trouble with your spreadsheets…?"

She cut me "How do you feel, honestly?"

I looked her in the eyes and said for the tenth time "I feel better, honestly, I must've been hungry or something."

She nodded, but her expression had been in a state of permanent worry since I passed out. "I'll call you later, just rest, ok? Let your father pick Jake at school today"

We waved each other goodbye and I went inside my father's house. After my mother died, i went back to live with my father and little brother, at first my plans were to stay for a month, but my father just seemed so lost… a year later, and I'm still here. I texted my father saying I had a migraine and asked him to pick Jake, her little brother, at school. I looked at my reflection in the mirror and saw why Alyssa seemed so worried, the contrast between my black hair usually made my skin look even whiter, but tonight I looked like a ghost. Add that to my bloodshot eyes and the dark circles under them and I could get a sidejob at a dark ride.

Alyssa was right I need to rest, I'll just make that damn report and then take a nice long bath. I took my notebook and sat on the couch, then I rested my head at the pillow for just a second. And when I opened my eyes, my little brother was standing in front of me, smiling.

Stretching, I gave him a lazy grin "what are you doing here? Shouldn't you be at school?"

I looked at the window and it was completely dark. _did I fall asleep?_ I looked back at my brother and he wasn't there. I went to his room to look for him, and saw the hallway mirror, completely foggy. _Where's my father? Who brought Jake home?_

"I am dreaming" I muttered to myself.

This was nothing like my usual dreams, they were usually complete nonsense, this one was so real. I entered Jake's room and saw him in his bed dressing his favorite sponge bob pj's, I looked around the room and it was exactly like in real life, the blue walls we'd painted together, his toys on the left of the room, his white nightstand and his fish lamp. He was holding a book, green eggs and ham, my favorite book as a kid, so I sat down beside him and opened it to start reading, but when I turned to him, he was already asleep, if only he was like this in real life.

I started thinking about crazy things I could do in my dreams, if I imagined an object would it materialize? A sound interrupted my thoughts, I heard something scratching at the door, it was distant, so it must have been at the front door. Comet, my dog, used to this, when he wanted us to walk him or open a door, but he had died 4 years ago, could it be him? I went to the living room and heard the faint noise of my dog's nails hitting the floor, I turned the hallway, and saw a figure close to the window, illuminated by the moon, and it wasn't comet.

It was standing and had huge claws in its hands and feet, it looked somewhat human though, until it looked at me with its leathery face, grayish skin and red eyes.

I looked around searching for something that could be used as weapon, I saw the clock marking 12:07, the remote controI, my notebook, i reached for the glass ballerina next to the tv, and broke it, to try to use it as weapon. Meanwhile, the creature was just standing and looking at me, this whole time, It looked like it was evaluating me. Out of nowhere, the thing opened its jaw and let out a terrifying growl. When it grabbed me, i woke up gasping for air.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

I woke up to find my dad watching me "bad dream?" he asked

I look at the window and saw the sun, I sighed heavily, my heart was still beating fast, so I took a deep breath, but before I could answer, my little brother jumped in my lap.

"Look what dad gave me!" he says with a huge grin on his face holding a book, he's adorable, he had my father's big blue eyes, and dark hair just like me, but instead of looking like a ghost, he looked like a little angel, my little angel. I couldn't help but grin back and forgot all my worries. Until, he showed me its cover, and read the title 'green eggs and ham'. Of course. I felt a chill at my spine.

"Will you read to me before bed?" he asked practically singing.

I kept staring at the book, luckily my father intervened and sent Jake to the shower. He stood watching me. "Is everything all right, kiddo?"

 _No, I think I'm going crazy._ "I couldn't say the lie at the tip of my tongue, so instead I asked "When is your flight?" remembering that he a medical convention in New York tomorrow.

"At 10pm, but I can stay if you're not feeling well"

"And who will give the speech?" My father was a famous surgeon, people were expecting him to go. "Go, I'm fine. Really."

He smiled and let it go, which was good because I were mustering up all of my strength not to ask my daddy to stay. _Put yourself together, Sarah, you're a grown up, for god's sake!_

So, i helped my dad pack his bags, made dinner and went to check on my brother. When I got to his room, he was about to put on his Spongebob pajamas, to my horror. I spent the next 10 minutes convincing him to wear his adventure time pj's, all the while thinking I was going insane.

I started doing my usual chores at home, they were a bliss, by night, I was feeling like myself again, and forgot about that creepy dream entirely. I assured my dad, that i was okay one last time and gave him a goodbye kiss. But my peace shattered when I saw Jake holding that damn book.

"How about we read another story tonight, how about calvin and hobbes" That ought to work, he loved calvin and hobbes.

"You so silly, Sarah, we readed that one yesterday" Truth, now what? I picked up another book, at random.

"Read. How abooout this one?" ugh, Cinderella, bad choice.

"Saraaaah" He whined her name, beginning to pout. One more minute and I would feel the world-famous wrath of the 5-year-old. _Great._

I gave up, i was being crazy anyway, so i laid down beside him and told him the story. We fell asleep peacefully, at his bed. Until, i had a scratching sound at the front door, the clock was marking 12:05. I pinched myself, but deep down i already knew i was awake. In my dreams the creature was next to the living room window. So, i decided to open the window's room and get out, then run to the convenience store at the corner and call the police. Better crazy, than dead.

Quietly I opened the window, then put my hand on Jake's mouth and woke him up. I made him a sign to stay silent and helped him get out through the window, he looked scared, but trusted me. I got out right after him, took him by the hand and ran. We were halfway to the convenience store, when i heard a deafening growl behind us. without looking back, I held tighter to jake's hand and kept running.

I opened the convenience store's door, and saw a guy half asleep behind the counter.

"Do you have a gun?" i shouted to him before even closing the door. There was a lighter on top of the counter, I picked up and went to the back of the store, grabbing a deodorant along the way. I put Jake behind me and saw that the guy was calling the police.

The glass door exploded and the creature entered, its red eyes searching for me, instead it found the salesclerk, holding a gun. Before the man even thought to shoot, the creature's claws were on his neck and blood was dripping on his white shirt. For a moment, I was too shocked to react, but my brother's scream woke me up. The creature turned its head to us and I was ready. _5 steps away, 4 steps away, 3 steps away, now._ I held the open flame of the lighter in front of the deodorant and pointed at the creature. I sprayed, and the flame shot out to the creature's face, it stepped back, hissing. I grabbed jake's hand and ran through the night, again.

I saw a cab coming and letting go of Jake's hand, threw myself in front of it, it stopped just in time, we got in while the driver was screaming at me. He looked like he was about to throw us out, the he saw the creature through the rear-view and drove away at full speed.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

"Jake, we're ok, I won't let anything happened to you" He didn't respond, just leaned in closer to me while looking frightened.

"Do you have a cellphone?" I asked to the driver, and repeated a couple times before he heard me.

"What was that?" His reflex in the rearview looked back at me in panic.

"Beats me. Could you please lend me your phone?" I took the phone and gave him Alyssa's address. I used the phone to call Alyssa, and tell her we needed to go to her house.

"Thank you, it's right around the corner" I gave back the phone, my brain was in auto-pilot mode, didn't dare think about what just happened, not until Jake and I were safe. When the cab pulled over, I asked him to wait for a minute, while I went in to get him his money.

"Wait, here, you can trust this guy" He gave me a card and drove away right after i closed the door. _Smart guy._

"Guess he doesn't want the money" i told jake, who was still silent.

Before I even rang the doorbell, Alyssa opened the door and pushed us inside.

"What is going on? What are you doing here at 1 am, and with jake? Are you ok?" I didn't even know where to begin, and i was sure Alyssa would think I'm mental. But It was so weird to lie to Alyssa, whom have been my friend and confident since kindergarten that I didn't even try, she would see right through anyway. So I just asked for a glass of water and sat at the couch with Jake.

I turned to my brother and tried to calm him again. "We're safe now, I promise. Do you trust me?"

Jake looked at me with teary eyes, and finally responded, with a small and trembling voice "Yes. What was that?"

I didn't know what to say, the reassuring lies I was about to say, just didn't fall out of my tongue. So I told him the truth. "I'll find out and make sure it never comes after us again. "

Then, i looked at the card the driver gave me. It read:

HARRY DRESDEN—WIZARD

LOST ITEMS FOUND. PARANORMAL INVESTIGATIONS.

CONSULTING. ADVICE. REASONABLE RATES.

NO LOVE POTIONS, ENDLESS PURSES, PARTIES, OR OTHER ENTERTAINMENT.


	4. Chapter 4

Harry

I woke up to the sound of my phone ringing, I fell asleep at the office, again, not because i got caught up at work or anything, in fact, it was the exact opposite, it had been a excruciatingly slow month. Though this wasn't unusual for me, it was especially disappointing, I had expected business to pick up since I became a consultant for the police department, but no such luck.

So, I tried to remember all that, as I answered the phone at 1 freaking AM, "Dresden" I said trying and failing to not sound grumpy.

"Harry Dresden? The, ah, wizard?" a nervous voice asked.

I suppressed a yawn and said "yes, ma'am. How can I help you?"

She let out a harsh breath and said. "Mr. Dresden, I am sorry for the odd hour, but I don't have anyone else to call. And I am honestly quite desperate…"

I cut her. "Why don't you start from the beginning, Ms…?" I tried to be subtle when asking her name, people usually got anxious when a wizard asked their names.

"Sarah, Sarah Marsden, sorry. " I heard a door closing before she whispered. "A creature attacked me in my house"

"ma'am, could you describe this creature for me?" I picked up my notebook and started scribbling as she said with a trembling voice.

"It was about my size and gray, it had huge claws"

I sighed, from her description it could easily be anything, from a koala to a demon. She was obviously nervous, so I tried to be as patient as possible as she told me how she escaped the creature.

At the end of her story she paused and after a deep breath she said, "I need to know if this creature can find me again"

I had no idea, assuming it was a demon, if whoever sent it to had something to connect it with her, like blood samples, hair or fingernails, it could follow her to the ends of the earth. So I asked her to tell me where she was staying, grabbed my staff, put my silver knife in a sheath that hung just under my left arm, put on my duster and headed out.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

 _Sarah_

I hung up the phone and my mind went spiraling. Should I call the police? How am I going to explain it to them? Won't they think I'm nuts? What if they find my fingerprints? What if the creaure uses them to get to me? is it even that smart? what if...

"Sarah...Sarah?" I realized Alyssa has been calling me for a while. When she realized she had my attention she continued. "did I hear you say a creature attacked you?"

She had been very patient, helped me calm down my little brother, then helped me get him to bed and listened to me telling the wizard my story without commenting.

I sat down at the couch and looked at her "do you think I'm crazy?"

"No" again I felt a tingly sensation at the back of my head "I happen to think it's completely normal to call a wizard at 3am to talk about creatures with huge claws and fangs, i do it every other week." She sat beside me and talked more softly "i know you went through a lot, since you mother passed away and you've been so strong, sometimes we hold..."

I cut her "I know how it sounds, i just need you to give me the benefit of the doubt, please, just this once." i must've looked as desperate as i felt, because she let it go.

A few minutes later the doorbell rang. We looked through the window and saw an old blue beetle. Well, sort of blue, it had a green door and a white door, but most of it was blue. An unbelievably tall guy stood at the door, wearing a leather duster and holding a staff. At the corner of my eye i saw Alyssa casually grabbing a wooden stick umbrella, I opened the door.

"Hi, Mr. Dresden, please come in" I said putting a professional smile on my face, he gave a few glimpses inside and checked the door.

"I need the owner of the house to invite me in." he said and Alyssa gave me an annoyed look.

"I think you're messing up your myths, _wizard_. Should i get a stake?" her voice dripping with sarcasm.

"It's about politeness, ma'am, I don't go where i'm not welcome." he said and i looked at her silently pleading, he was my only hope.

"Fine, get in, please." She said and so he did. It was like i could feel the remains of any normalcy left in my life melting away, nothing would ever be the same.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

 _Harry_

I made Sarah review her story with me a few times. I was positive it was a demon at her home earlier, but i couldn't understand how it managed to get past her threshold, from what she had told me it looked like a pretty realiable threshold, her house had passed through 4 generations of her family, it shouldn't be possible.

I was impressed Sarah had the nerve to actually burn the demon, most people would freeze in a similar situation, right now, though, she looked like she was about to faint. Her friend's face was ranging between scared and furious, as if she had to constantly remind herself that the story couldn't be real and i was just a charlatan, right now it was settling on furious and her knuckles were white from holding onto her umbrella, like she was she about to hit me with it at any second. I gave both girls a reassuring smile that didn't seem to faze either of them.

"do you think the creature...demon, could come after me again?" Sarah asked me.

"it's possible, but this house has a strong threshold, i doubt it will be able to get in. And if it does, All you need to do is jump into the circle and call me."

I had drawn a huge circle in the living room and even asked them to put the cordless phone inside, I didn't really believe the demon could get past the threshold, but i also didn't understand how it had passed over sarah's, hence the circle. I went through my fees and Sarah didn't even blink an eye, not that i expected her to, she exuded that type of calm confidence, that only those born in wealth could. She gave me her house keys and address and i said goodbye with a strict warning not to invite anyone in.

I went straight to her house, i was convinced no one had any samples of her hair, blood or fingernail or they would already be at Alyssa's doorstep, but that could be a matter of time and they already manage to get in once.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

 _Harry_

I parked in fron of Sarah Marsden's house, in a fairly rich neighborhood in Chicago, usually i'd at least try to be a little inconspicuous about my presence there, i mean, it was very obvious that the beetle didn't belong to the people who lived in that house. But it occurred to me on the drive there, how considerably unprepared i'd come, i should've went to my lab and made a few preparations first, especially considering the possibility of me encountering the demon, but i knew what made me come here in such a haste, Sarah was the classic lady in distress, completely helpless in a world she knew nothing about, and worst, with a baby brother in tow. I got out of the car and looked at the house.

If i saw a picture of Sarah's house i'd say it belonged in a christmas special, specially with the sunrise. It was huge, more of mansion then a house, it had two levels and a very classical exterior, it looked like the kind of place a big, happy family would live, it even had a treehouse. But the street was eerily quiet, there wasn't any dog barking or bird singing, it made me deeply regret my decision to come here without any sleep and without any kind of preparations.

I made a quick circuit of the house, checked inside through all of the windows, before finally coming in using the key Sarah gave me. The house was very sensibly furnished, it was obvious that whoever decorated wanted it to be more cozy than elegant, there were a few things out of place here and there, a few toys and papers, but nothing that made you assume something'd happenned here a few hours ago. I checked the picture on top of the fireplace, pictures of a happy family. Inside and out, the house looked like it belonged in a Disney movie, but my hair stood on end, since the moment i got here, it was possibly the remanining energy from the demon. first, i went inside the bathroom and burned the hairs i found in combs and drains, then i burned the trash just in case. Then, I went inside a child's bedroom, i looked through everything, even the toys and books, when i was about to go, i found a few odd drawings and decided to put them inside my coat.

I went back to the hallway and listened to the front door closing, i quickly took a step back and waited. I heard someone enter in the bathroom i was inside a few minutes earlier and curse. I was quite surprised to realize it was a woman's voice, call me sexist but I was find it a bit odd to see women in this types of situation. I was a lot more surprised when i saw her face, the same face of the fireplace's pictures, the supposedly dead mother. Then i saw her look at my direction, as if she could see through walls and snarl.

"wizard"

"Bingo. And you are?" no reaction "see, this begining to look like one of those 'i see dead people' type of situations, don't you hate those?"

She gave me a creepy smile and suddenly i could feel her dark power fill the room, utter stillness spread out from her.

I didn't miss a beat, I drew in my will, lifted my staff and screamed. " _Forzare!_ "

The runes on the staff burst into smoldering scarlet light. There was a thunderstorm's roar, and raw power, invisible and solid, lashed out of the end of my staff. It whipped across the room, knocking her in the chest. I went back to the child's room i just came from, went out through the window and ran to the beetle. As i drove away i saw her standing at the desert street, looking straight at me.


	8. Chapter 8

I got home exhausted, I felt like I could sleep for week. But just as my luck goes, when I got to my door I realized someone had broken in. I grabbed my staff and opened the door carefully, and found Sarah's not-so-deceased mother in my living room, with a mountain of a man standing beside her.

"Mr. Dresden, please come in, it seems we started with the wrong foot." She was sitting on my couch, looking relaxed with a smile on her face. For the first time i noticed how beautiful she was, she had an elegance in the way she moved and talked that it was hard to ignore, but it wasn't enough to mask how cold her eyes were.

"That's what it tends to happen when someone attacks you and break into your house" I said and noticed my knuckles were turning white from holding my staff, I put on my poker face and tried to look as relaxed as she was.

"Well, I'm merely returning your favor, since you seem to be intruding in my life so much recently. But that's in the past, we should let bygones be bygones, it's what I always say." She made a gesture to her goon without taking her eyes off me. "Doug, get my purse"

"Well, then, Mrs. Marsden, since you so kindly decided to show up, i would like to ask you a few questions regarding you and your daughter" I said keeping Doug in peripheral vision.

"My daughter?" She said looking a bit surprised " Oh, Mr. Dresden, I didn't expect you to be quite so thick-headed, are you sure you're in the right field?" She picked the purse from Doug, took out an envelope and handed to me "This is for your trouble, I expect you'll find you've been highly compensated. Now, I need you to stay out of me and my … family's issues"

I felt the weight of the envelope and gave back to her, not without a bit of regret. "You didn't hired me, Ma'am. Sarah will let me know when my job's done" She looked me up and down, as if evaluating me and tsked.

"Such wasted potential, I expected more from Maggie's son, but then I suppose, it's your father's fault." She leaned in as if she was about to tell me a secret "If you want an advice, Harry, know to give in, it will save you from a lot of hurt"

She smiled at the shock showing in my face, at the mention of my mother's name.

"I'm leaving you alive in respect to your mother" She got up and went to the door " oh, and put on some wards in here, you don't know who could get it" she said giving me a sweet smile and getting out, Doug following her.

I had no witty comeback for her, I blamed the lack of sleep, I ran to the door and closed it, knowing it would make me no good. I called Sarah and told her to stay put and not open the door to anyone, no matter whose face it wore. Then I went to my room and slept.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

 _Sarah_

When I woke up Alyssa had already called my work and my brother's school and told them we were sick, I thanked her and tried to make myself busy while she went to work, I received a very troubling from Mr. Dresden right after Alyssa left, warning me again to not open the door for anyone.

I called my aunt and asked her to take care of my brother for a few days, he was being really brave about the whole thing, wanting to stay to protect me, which was adorable. Somehow I knew I was the cause of all this and if he was far away from me, he would be safe. So I talked to him and we waited for my aunt, I had to let her in, but I made a whole thing about not inviting her, to see if she could pass through the threshold. When he was away, I tried to keep myself busy, I cleaned the house, made dinner, used Alyssa's computer to make some research about the supernatural world.

I went through Alyssa's wardrobe to get a few clothes and towel for me and then found a few pictures of us, when we were kids. i went through them and then I saw a few of her and a man I knew quite well. Then I found a letter in my mother's handwriting, I was still reading it, when I heard Alyssa's voice.

"I went to your house to pick some of your stuff and…" She went inside the room and noticed what I was holding "let me explain."

I showed her the picture of her and my father "When did it start?"

She already had tears running through her face "You don't understand, please"

"You consoled me after my mother died, knowing you were the reason she killed herself, how could you?" I was screaming, but I couldn't stop "What kind of traitorous whore would do that?" I noticed I was quoting my mother's letter.

"Sarah, you know how their marriage was in the end"

I picked up my things, she had just brought and stormed out of her house. Her neighbor was looking at us through her window I flipped her off and then turned to Alyssa. "If you ever get close to my family again I will skin you alive, do you understand?"

I went away and walked until I found a taxi to take me to hotel, It was a sketchy place, so they didn't ask for my ID and I gave them a fake name.

_Author's note: Sorry for the drama, but it was important to the story. :)


End file.
